The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-04-28
The State Chronicle
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BY TIKI
CHRONICLE PUBLISHING E0MrksY
SUBSCRIPTION Price-Payable Strictly in
AAovance-y1.OO per Year; AI 90 Tor Sly
Montns; Do Cents for Three Months.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
His birthplace and Incidents Connected
ThereWith.
[FrOm Raleigh Signal.

| lrroin haielSh signal
RALEIGH, n. c., April 20. 1ss1.-Har-
per's Weekly in a late issue. contained
what claimed to be a picture of the honse
In which President Johnson was born and
located 1t on street in this citv No
uoubt Harpers were honest in their belief
.hat 1t was the veritable house in which
.nal great man first saw light, but their
| Information was Incorrect
Andrew johnson was born in a house
wnich mas long since been demolished and
Whlch stood on the lot now occupied by
W. II. ~ K. 5. fuckers dry goods store.
Inc FOLLOWING incident connected with his
| oii'i may hol De unlnteresting to your
After johnson becamesPresident tho
Federal officers and men stationed in Raj
elsh In 1860, naturally took considerable
interest IN his early history, and one day
a couple of officers called on old Mrs St,arf
| well-known citizen of the town. and
asked her to tell them what She knew of
the early life of President johnson. saving
that they had been directed to her as one
or the Oldest citizens Of the town and who
had known him in his youth
The old lady replied that she had known
Andrew and his parents, and that she had
named him; she then went on to saw that
at the time of his birth his parents lived
on the back part of her mothers lot, which
was on Fayetteville street, about where
fuckers store now stands, as stated above;
that she, Mrs. Stuart, was a young lady
IN society, and one night when dressing
for a ball, received a message from Polly
Johnson asking her to come out and look
at her new baby. That she went and found
Polly the mother of fine boy. After ad-
mlrlng the future President she asked his
mother what she had named him. Polly
replied, Miss Susan as you made all of
his little clothes for him. | want YOU to
name him She then said, s.well Polly.
will name him Andrew Mcdonald, (after
the hero of novel she was then readingD
Jake Johnson, Polly's husband was sitting
by the fire and said, "Mss Susan, don't
give him such long name, | will never
recollect it; call him plain Andrew" And
that is the way he got his name, said the
venerable old lady, and then she went on
to say.to the two officers: ''Gentlemen,
you are in the army of that same Andrew
Johnson; l wish you would tell him that
the old woman who gave him the first rag
that ever covered his nakedncss, and nam
ed him, Is now tottering Oh the brink Of
the grave, and that she would like t. see
her grandson, George Whiting, who is a
Confederate prisoner Of war, once more
before she dies"
The above was related to the writer bv
that same George Whiting after his re-
lease from prison at Johnston's Island
While on the subject of Andrew johnson
it was my fortune to hear from an old
citizen of the State another fact connected
with President Johnson's eal Y life that is
not generally known.
The late Chief Justice Ruff Il is authority
for saying that Chief Justice Leonard Hen
derSOn was the father of Andrew johnson
and not Mr.. William II. Haywood as com
monty believed. AT all events that ques-
ton which is said to tax the powers of the
wisest child greatly, vexed President John
son, because when he came uut to Raleigh
to be present at the erection of a monu-
ment over Jacob Johnson, his mothers
husband, in his speech he sa. / that he had
come to the place of his birth to do honor
to the man who sis said to be my father"
One more anecdote and am through
The antiquarians of the town were greatly
divided AS to the exact location of the
grave, and Col James Fontleroy Taylor.
who by the way, is high authority in such
matters, among others contended that the
monument was erected IN the wroYy place
Gov. David l.. Swain was chosen to deliver
the oration on the occasion. Col TAYLOR
called on him after his arrival in town
and their talk naturally turned on the sub
Ject OF the true location of the grave. Gov
SWAIN CoutcHullS tndl me monument HdQ
been erected in the right place, and Col.
Taylor the contrary. After they had gone
over the pros and cons at considerable
length, Gov. Swain said, ''Well, james, be
that as it may, let's walk out and look at
the monument" 'Yes, " said Col Taylor,r
quoting from the well known hymn,
$50 view the spot where you will shortly
lie"
CIyIS.